Our healthcare system in Edmonton leaves a lot to be desired. They are overtaxed, overworked, abused and misused. It receives a lot of media coverage when they run low on beds or there are huge emergencies and it’s pretty much known fact that you only go when you’re dire.

Yesterday around 3pm I almost keeled over at IKEA from pain in my side. I immediately got scared that it was appendicitis and went to my nearest medicentre. I sat for an hour and a half to see a doctor who was with me for 3 minutes and said “Pee in this cup, go to the hospital if the pain is worse”.

Now, pain is a subjective thing. I wasn’t sure if I was getting worse or staying the same. At around 6pm I called our HealthLink number to talk to a nurse, and she suggested I was getting worse and to go to the hospital.

At the hospital I received a lecture on how busy the emergency rooms were (totally a defensive speech, I had not expressed my displeasure at all, although it felt like i was being knifed) even though it was the last thing I wanted to do, and I had tried all other options first, and felt really guilty for using the medical services I pay for. I sat around for around three hours in the waiting room and saw a doctor around midnight. A quick examination determined it was NOT appendicitis (thank GOD) and was infact a kidney infection. My parents went home and I spent the next five hours alone, getting IVs and listening to retching people and staring at the bright flourescent light above my head, the switch of which I could not reach.

At one point, when it came time to discharge, the nurse started to turn off the IV, and then, even as she told me she needed to leave the IV in for my further antibiotic treatments over the next few days, she took it out. I started to cry, after 24 hours of being awake, and the fear of the IV hurting again. She apologized profusely as she stabbed me unsuccessfully twice more, and finally getting the IV line back in.

So, as it stands, the pain has subsided and my appetite is returning. I have to go in to the hospital three times a day for antibiotic treatments via my IV, and I don’t know how long that will be for. I’m pretty happy my little appendix hadn’t burst though.

3 Responses to “:-(”

I am a Registered Nurse here in the US of A, sorry to read about your illness, hope you are better soon. Sounds pretty bad to me. I have often wondered about Canada and how nurses are treated. Here in the states we are universally over-worked, underpaid, and often work ten hours straight and a good shift is defined as one where we had time to use the toilet.

on 14 Feb 2006 at 5:49 pm Me

Geez, get better soon. And backhand the bitch who lectured you for good luck. Whining about how busy the hospital is when you’re in pain is totally uncalled for, especially when their paycheque comes out of your pocket (mine too).